Fulton, Tx - Nov 2003

Birding has become very popular in the Fulton/Rockport area. The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail provides sites where you might see migrating birds.



The history of Fulton is closely associated with the fishing and shipping industry.



The Fulton mansion, formerly known as "Oakhurst" was built between 1874 and 1877 by George Ware Fulton and his wife. The house featured modern heating, ventilation, and plumbing systems and gas lighting. Tours are available by Texas State Parks for $5.


Copano Bay provided a shallow, peaceful kayaking spot with the oyster reefs beyond keeping the water fairly calm. There were many birds in the area. We had a seafood dinner (a can of tuna) on one of the shell reefs.
The lighted pier is a good place to catch speckled trout. At night the bright lights are on overhead and the fish and the fishermen swarm the area.

Stately oaks are common throughout the region.

Christmas 2006

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Leon trims the Charley Brown tree. It is small and artificial by choice!


Then he wraps my package so I can help him carry it in the house!

He doesn't get to have all the fun.

We toast our first Christmas together.

At last we are ready. It is a small artificial tree by choice!

As Christmas neared Leon and I visited the Arlington Hotel to see the gingerbread house, visit friends, and see the lights. Another night we toured the lit neighborhoods throughout town. Christmas Eve we enjoyed dinner at Mary's house to welcome Sean, Kelly, and Will home. Everyone gathered at the dead end for Christmas brunch. Kay entertained us another night and then we had Wii night here as Jeff brought the Nintendo for us to get some exercise and entertainment.
We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


The cousins, John, Kay, Will, Jeff, Kelly, and Sean, gathered again but missing were Brian, Jennifer, and Hayden.

For more photos visit: Christmas

December 2006

We are enjoying fluctuating weather (19-70 degrees) this month in Hot Springs while looking forward to Christmas. Leon is recuperating from an encounter with an attack ladder so we have curtailed hiking for the time being.


Susan is trying to exercise away her new encounter with plantar fasciitis and hiking is the furthest thing from her mind. We are in the process of clearing the new lot next door.


The birds are busy at the feeders but the squirrels seem to be getting most of the food. One day we counted 14 species of birds within 30 minutes. The pansies are liking the brisk cold weather and we take advantage of warm, sunny days to mow and mulch leaves. Life is good! More photos of the home place.

Hayden

We missed having Jennifer and Brian join us for Thanksgiving but they had a pretty good excuse. Little Hayden was born the next day in Raleigh, North Carolina, my first great nephew! Here he is napping at about 3 days old.

Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving in Hot Springs among friends and family.


Will carved the turkey and we stuffed ourselves as usual. We were delighted to share our Thanksgiving meal with Jeff, Kay, John, Caroline, Jamie, and Will.


Jeff brought over the new Nintendo Wii so we could bowl, play tennis, golf, and box to work off the noon meal, right in the comfort of the den.

Fall foliage tour in Arkansas

There was good color when the leaves changed this year and one day we decided it was time to enjoy the forests. We left with a picnic and first stopped at Daisy State Park on Lake Greeson to check out the Bear Creek trail. It is one of the few quad riding trails we know of in Arkansas at this time.


We had our picnic overlooking Lake Greeson in the state park in a most serene setting. The sun was shining, the eagles circling, and the weather crisp. It was a perfect spot. More photos.


From Lake Greeson we drove over to the Ouachita National Forest and stopped at Camp Albert Pike. We couldn't resist walking along the Little Missouri River at one of my old trout fishing spots. We visited with some folks hiking into the wilderness for a few days of turkey hunting. I was excited to see some new larger camping sites.


From there we continued up the gravel road and went over the mountain taking the back route to Shady Lake. We stopped at the Little Missouri Falls and went for a short hike.


We thought we must be at the peak of fall foliage season and then we talked to a ranger and found out a recent storm had sent most of the leaves fluttering to the ground. It must have been truly magnificent! But any time of the year is good to be in this forest. Click to see more of our photos of the Ouachita National Forest.

1st annual Halloween cookout

As October ended we decided to have a few friends over to sit around the fire in the back yard and enjoy some hot dogs. Leon made some alterations to the fire pit and we blew the falling leaves in other directions. We offered cheddar brats, veggie dogs, turkey dogs, the old fashioned beef hot dog, and some wurst. That all went well with chili beans, potato salad, slaw, and deviled eggs. Mel, Chris, Kay, and I seem happy enough.

Roy, John, and Leon sit by the open fire. We had waited for the mosquitoes and chiggers to hibernate and it was quite a pleasant evening.

Home again

Back from California, now its time to unload. Oh My! But make room we did! Thank goodness for the California yard sale. Now it was time to have an Arkansas yard sale! And we did.

The Dead End

I moved to the end of this dead end street in 1973 and enjoyed being in the woods surrounded by peace and serenity where I could hear nothing but the birds. The city has invaded my space and has grown up around me, but I have recently realized how really content I still am when I am here. So when we are not wandering around the country this is where you will find us.